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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Health Reporter
BULAWAYO yesterday joined the nation in rolling out the new typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) set to protect children aged below 15 years from typhoid which has been mainly detected in the city, Harare and Gweru.

The programme is being rolled out by health authorities in conjunction with the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry.

Zimbabwe is the third country in the world to make the TCV part of its routine immunisation programme.

TCV helps to prevent typhoid fever, which is a life-threatening infection and outbreaks are increasing in the country.

The vaccine is being introduced through a nationwide catch-up vaccination campaign which will integrate vaccines for polio prevention (IPV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) including Vitamin A supplementation into the campaign.

This new vaccine is very effective and will provide protection for at least three years or more with only one dose.

Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also Health and Child Care Minister launched the TCV last Friday and said it was in line with the Government’s thrust to improve the quality of life of citizens, particularly children, by protecting them from disease outbreaks using vaccines.

Starting from yesterday, children in Bulawayo and other parts of the country received TCV jabs from central hospitals, schools, clinics, creches and outreach points.

Its roll out will run up to June 4 and all parents and guardians are required to ensure that their children aged between nine months and 15 years are vaccinated.

Typhoid is a life-threatening condition caused by a bacteria called salmonella typhi and infection results in high death rates.

Children below 15 years are most at risk as typhoid has become a public health burden in Zimbabwe, according to the Health Ministry.

Bulawayo’s director of health services, Dr Edwin Sibanda said it remains important to maintain good personal and food hygiene practices to prevent other related diseases even after the vaccination.

“From June 2021, after this vaccination campaign all children in Zimbabwe will start to get typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) as part of routine childhood immunisation at 9 months of age. Parents, teachers and other caregivers of children should ensure that all children aged six months to under 15 years go for vaccination at health centres, crèches, schools and community outreach points between 24 May and 4 June 2021 for these services,” said Dr Sibanda.

Speaking during the TCV virtual media engagement meeting yesterday, the Ministry’s expanded program on immunisation (EPI) manager Ms Colleen Chigodo said the vaccine will be part of the routine vaccination programme for children aged nine months to 15 years.

“Children under five years who were born between 2016 and 2018 and are yet to receive IPV will also get their vaccine during the same period. This year the HPV vaccine will be given to girls in grades 5, 6 and 7 in schools and girls aged from 10 years to 12 years in the community to protect them from cancer of the cervix whose roll out was disrupted by the outbreak of Covid-10,” she said.

The Vitamin A supplementation will be given to all children from 6 to 59 months to increase protection against common childhood illnesses.

“Objectives of the integrated campaign include to vaccinate 90 percent of all children aged 9 months to 15 years in Zimbabwe with the TVC and to also vaccinate 90 percent of children born between 24 January 2016 and 22 December 2018 with the polio vaccine,” said Ms Chigodo.

“Part of the objectives also include administering Vitamin A to all children aged 6 to 59 months.”

World Health Organisation (WHO) representative Dr Maxwell Rupfutse said typhoid cases have been high mainly in Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru due to lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services.

“The resistance to ciprofloxacin, the first line drug used to treat typhoid during the 2019 outbreak, made vaccines an important intervention for protecting people against typhoid,” said Dr Rupfutse.

During the vaccination launch last Friday, Dr Chiwenga said the improvement of the country’s health sector was critical.

“The Government’s Vision 2030 cannot be achieved in the context of disruptive outbreaks of diseases like typhoid and cholera hence in addition to targeting these diseases for elimination, the ministry is also investing in strengthening and modernising the country’s health delivery system to reach everyone,” he said.

“Access to safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene remain the mainstay of typhoid prevention and control in the long term and vaccination with TCV provides another important complementary tool. The introduction of typhoid vaccine is being done in line with the Government’s thrust to improve the quality of life of citizens, mainly children, by protecting them from disease outbreaks.”

WHO and Unicef recently praised Zimbabwe for introducing the TVC.

WHO country representative Dr Alex Gasasira:

“WHO praises Zimbabwe as the third country in the world to introduce the typhoid conjugate vaccine into the routine immunisation programme. I would like to congratulate and commend the Government and people of Zimbabwe for this milestone public health achievement. This is yet another manifestation of Zimbabwe’s leadership in immunisation in the Africa region and globally.” — @thamamoe